C++ for Dummies

Features

• Cover Type: Paperback with 432 pages
• Published by: For Dummies
• Edition: 5th Edition May 7, 2004
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0764568523
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0764568527
• Book Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.4 x 1.1 inches
• Weighs: 1.3 pounds

Product Review
"remains a strong contender among object-oriented programming languages". (Library Journal, October 1, 2004)

Product Description
If you’ve thought of programmers as elite intelligentsia who possess expertise (and perhaps genes) the rest of us will never have, think again. C++ For Dummies, 5^th Edition, debunks the myths, blasts the barriers, shares the secrets, and gets you started. In fact, by the end of Chapter 1, you’ll be able to create a C++ program. OK, it won’t be newest, flashiest video game, but it might be a practical, customized inventory control or record-keeping program.

Most people catch on faster when they actually DO something, so C++ For Dummies includes a CD-ROM that gives you all you need to start programming (except the guidance in the book, of course), including:

• Dev-C, a full-featured, integrated C++ compiler and editor you install to get down to business
• The source code for the programs in the book, including code for BUDGET, programs that demonstrate principles in the book
• Documentation for the Standard Template Library
• Online C++ help files

Written by Stephen Randy Davis, author of C++ Weekend Crash Course, C++ for Dummies, takes you through the programming process step-by-step. You’ll discover how to:

• Generate an executable
• Create source code, commenting it as you go and using consistent code indentation and naming conventions
• Write declarations and name variables, and calculate expressions
• Write and use a function, store sequences in arrays, and declare and use pointer variables
• Understand classes and object-oriented programming
• Work with constructors and destructors
• Use inheritance to extend classes
• Use stream I/O
• Comment your code as you go, and use consistent code indentation and naming conventions
• Automate programming with the Standard Template Library (STL)

C++ for Dummies 5^th Edition is updated for the newest ANSI standard to make sure you’re up to code.

Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file.

Reader Reviews
This review is from: C++ for Dummies (4th Edition, Completely Revised) (Paperback) I've been looking for just the right introduction to programming for some time. I've spent more than a dozen hours combing through the shelves in my local Borders and B&N, skimming over 50 so-called "introductory" texts, looking for one that I could really learn from. By way of background, I am an advanced computer user/tinkerer, but I'm completely inexperienced in the field of programming -- never so much as typed a lick of code. In reviewing other books, I didn't want to start with a book about C, because conventional wisdom says that it's a bad idea to start with C (a procedural language) if you plan to use it to jumpstart a study of C++ or java (hybrid OOP languages). I also didn't want to start with a book on QBasic, because it seems to me that the language is pretty much obsolete. For me, I wanted to learn OOP, and that meant a commitment to C++ and/or java (preferably both, as each has its strengths and weaknesses, and they are similar and popular enough to study together). That said, I looked at somewhat advanced introductory books by Deitel, Savitch, and Horton, all of which are extremely well-reviewed here on Amazon. I also looked at several books from Microsoft Press, as I planned on learning by using components of the Visual Studio. Horton's Beginning C++ came close, but its massive size and more advanced approach left me looking for a different introductory text (I plan on returning to Horton's book though, to supplement what I learn from Mr. Davis' book). Finally, this new edition of C++ for Dummies came out just in time. This book really hits the mark on many levels: (1) it assumes no knowledge of programming; (2) it does a great job of explaining truly complex topics without going overboard or hitting you over the head; (3) it is clear and entertaining; and (4) it is new and compliant with the latest standards, which is more than I can say for books written, say, pre-1998. Do yourself a favor -- if you have no programming experience and want to learn a cutting edge OOP language like C++ or java, start here, then use that knowledge to branch out to more advanced material. Personally, I'm supplementing this reading with Horton's Beginning C++ and Beginning Java 2 (JDK 1.3 Version), and Bruce Eckel's highly praised Thinking in Java. Good luck!